Ad 24 was a greek geographer, philosopher, and historian who lived in asia minor during the transitional period of the roman republic into the roman empire. The geography of strabo, volume 1 loeb classical library loeb classical library. Full text of the geography of strabo internet archive. Roller and published by cambridge university press 2014. The geography of strabo is the only surviving work of its type in greek literature, and the major source for the history of greek scholarship on geography and the formative processes of the earth.
The statements made by eratosthenes in the first book of his geography. Strabo was related to dorylaeus on his mothers side. Strabo was born to an affluent family from amaseia in pontus in presentday turkey in around 64 bc. I take the view that strabo started writing out the manuscript of the geography some three years later, starting book one in ad 17 and finishing the last book book seventeen in ad 23. Strabo s historical work is lost, but his most important geography in seventeen books has survived. We have treated these subjects at length in the first book of the geography.
He wrote that italy has a protected geographical location because of which the people of this country are more advance and developed. He collected his observationsinhismagnumopus,thegeography,whichhedescribed as a kolossourgia, a colossal statue of a work. Offering a window into the lost world of classical rome and greece, strabos geography is a major source for the study of ancient geography. This is a selective summary of translations of strabos work from ancient greek into modern languages. After two introductory books, numbers 3 and 4 deal with spain and gaul, 5 and 6 with italy and sicily, 7 with north and east europe, 8 10 with greek lands, 11 14 with the main regions of asia and with asia minor, 15 with india and iran, 16 with. Geography the magnificient ethiopians damtew gizaw says. The geography of strabo is the only surviving work of its type in greek. A first edition was published in 7 bc followed by a gap, resumption of work and a final edition no later.
Title page from isaac casaubon s 1620 edition of geographica. This usually happens when propaganda is disseminated within the enemy states in an attempt to raise doubts about the alliance. Throughout the later middle ages strabos geography was known in greek codices in the form of complete editions as well as in excerpts. Geography html at perseus help with reading books report a bad link suggest a new listing. After two introductory books, numbers 3 and 4 deal with spain and gaul, 5 and 6 with italy and sicily, 7 with north and east europe, 810 with greek lands, 1114 with the main regions of asia and with asia minor, 15 with india and iran, 16 with. A wikipedia article about this author is available strabo. Divide and rule can be used by states to weaken enemy military alliances. An english translation, with introduction and notes. I have already indicated roughly both the shape and the size of this country. Each entry starts with the number of books of the geography translated, as translators sometimes stall out before completing all seventeen books. Caucasiarum regionum et gentium straboniana descriptio commentario perpetuo illustrata. In addition, this lengthy and complex work contains a vast amount of information on other topics, including the journey of alexander the great. The application is produced by the ancient world mapping center awmc at the university of north carolina, chapel hill, and marks all locatable settlements, features, and.
Offering a window into the lost world of classical rome and greece, strabos geography is a major source for the study of ancient geography, while providing important information on greek cultic history and early theories of the nature of the world. The project gutenberg ebook of the geography of strabo vol. At any rate, aristotle bequeathed his own library to theophrastus, to whom he also left his school. Mar 31, 2014 buy the geography of strabo by translated by duane w. The fifth book contains a description of italy from the roots of the alps to the strait of sicily, the gulf of taranto, and the region about posidonium. Each entry starts with the number of books of the geography translated. Po after having pursued its course through the country of the salassi1521 into. Based in part upon the unfinished version of john robert sitlington sterrett, john robert sitlington. So great indeed is italy, and much as we have described it. This helps clarify what the historians were saying, which sometimes was not true. An asiatic greek in the time of augustus, strabo was a keen voyager that explored the four corners of the ancient world and compiled an important geography in seventeen books on his travels. He annexed to the kingdom of pontus the seacoast towards the west as far as heracleia, 30 the birthplace of heracleides the. Once the alliance weakens or dissolves, a vacuum will allow the state to achieve military dominance. Strabos historical work is lost, but his most important geography in seventeen books has survived.
Buy the geography of strabo by translated by duane w. Greek authors the geography of strabo, john robert sitlington sterrett volume 1 of the geography of strabo. The fourteenth book contains an account of the cyclades islands and the region opposite to them, pamphylia, isauria, lycia, pisidia, cilicia as far as. They leave no room for a road along the sea, but the road from the isthmus to megara and attica passes above them. Karen ni mheallaigh reminds us that pseudodocumentation or the makingup of sources, inscriptions, archaeologies, etc. A modern editor notes how and where the wording of one manuscript differs from another and decides what form of. Geography the magnificient ethiopians rasta livewire. A history of ancient geography among the greeks and romans. The country next in order after the aquitanian division and narbonitis reaches as far as the whole of the rhenus, extending from the liger river and also from the rhodanus at the point where the rhodanus, after it runs down from its source, touches lugdunum.
Dec 15, 2012 karen ni mheallaigh reminds us that pseudodocumentation or the makingup of sources, inscriptions, archaeologies, etc. On the operations of nature, that all things converge to a point, namely, the centre of the whole, and assume a spherical shape around it. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This is a selective summary of translations of strabos work from ancient greek into. This is a very good source of information about history although it is geography. Our flexible, affordable, entirely digital readers help you focus your classroom on primary sources.
History of macedonia ancient writers about macedonia strabo. You may begin reading the english translation as well as the greek version and a greek version. His kingdom consisted of the country bounded by the halys, 27 extending to the tibareni, 28 to armenia, to the territory within the halys, extending as far as amastris, 29 and to some parts of paphlagonia. At present we shall make a few remarks on the operations of nature and of providence conjointly. Next, i must discuss the aquitani, and the tribes which have been included within their boundaries,link to the editors note at the bottom of this page namely, the fourteen galatic tribes which inhabit the country between the garumna and the liger, some of which reach even to the riverland of the rhone and to the plains. The strabo application is a georeferenced, interactive digital map of the ancient mediterranean world to accompany the text of the geography translated by duane w. With an english translation by horace leonard jones. Strabo geography there remain of europe, first, macedonia and the parts of thrace that are contiguous to it and extend as far as byzantium. A stadia is said to be 7,290 inches18,662 cm or 607. Several other family members, including his paternal grandfather had served mithridates vi during the mithridatic wars. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. At milestone documents, we believe that engaging with historys original voices is exciting for students and liberating for instructors. The glory of the city strabo the romans paved the roads, cut through hills, and filled up valleys, so that the merchandise may be conveyed by carriage from the ports. Strabo provides us with location of people and rivers, mountains.
For ebooks, where available, click on the volume number. Between geography and history 1999 clarendon press oxford. Geography was therefore the study of how the physical environment caused human activities. His family had been involved in politics since at least the reign of mithridates v. The geography of strabo volume 2 by strabo it was amazing 5. In ad 14, the emperor augustus had died and been succeeded by his adopted son and heir, tiberius. Modern editions of strabos geography are based on the thirty or so manuscripts that have survived from the middle ages. Strabo, geography, books 117 in 8 volumes loeb classical. Strabos cultural geography strabo of amasia, a greek geographer of the augustotiberian period, observed the roman world of his time.
The history of navigation is the history of seamanship, the art of directing vessels upon the open sea through the establishment of its position and course by means of traditional practice, geometry, astronomy, or special instruments. Strabos main contribution was in the field of historical geography. Geographika, or geography, is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 books, written in greek by strabo, an educated citizen of the. The present translation of strabo, the great geographer of antiquity, is the first which has been laid before the english public. Strabo states the width of persia 4,400 stadia or about 800 km and its length towards the caspian to be 8,000 stadia or about 1,500 km. Alexander the great, prester john, strabo of amasia, and. However, the road approaches so close to the rocks that in many. Some, as we know, have divided it into three parts, calling its inhabitants aquitani, belgae, and celtae.
A 19th and early 20th century approach to the study of geography which argued that the general laws sought by human geographers could be found in the physical sciences. The first two books of strabos geography are the most important of the 17 books for cosmology and physical geography book i and mathematical geography. These manuscripts are not identical, each containing errors that have arisen in the process of transcription. There remains of iberia the seaboard of our sea from the pillars to the pyrenees mountains, and also the whole of the interior above it, which is unequal in breadth but slightly more than four thousand stadia in length, though the length of the seaboard has been given as still greater than that by as much as two thousand stadia. Putnam, 19171932, also by horace leonard jones and j. The present translation of strabo, the great geographer of antiquity, is the first which. A few people have excelled as seafarers, prominent among them the austronesians islander southeast asians, malagasy, islander melanesians, micronesians, and. He said that there is an intimate relationship between history and geography. It is curious that a classic of so much renown and intrinsic value should have remained a comparatively sealed book to this country for so many centuries.
The geography of strabo, volume i of 3 by strabo hellenica world. West central hellas and the hellenic islands part 1. Ptolemy and strabo and their conversation with appeles and. This work is only provided via the perseus project at tufts university. Print and online editions of the greek text of strabos. After two introductory books, numbers 3 and 4 deal with spain and gaul, 5 and 6 with italy and sicily, 7 with north and east europe, 810 with greek lands, 1114 with the main regions of asia and with asia minor, 15 with india and iran, 16. Geographika, or geography, is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 books, written in greek by strabo, an educated citizen of the roman empire of greek descent. The geography of strabo is the only surviving work of its type in greek literature, and the major source for the history of greek scholarship on.
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